Someday I'll Fly Away

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

-"Imagine" John Lennon

Lily Evans was a small red headed girl, and the youngest of two daughters to Nicholas and Amanda Evans. Her older sister, Petunia, was her best friend. The two girls were just over a year apart in age, and shared many of the same friends. When they went out together, people thought they were twins, even though they look nothing alike. Petunia was tall and bony, with pale skin, grey-blue eyes and perfectly straight blonde hair. Lily was short and freckled with emerald green eyes and auburn red hair that curled wildly and was completely untamable. Appearance wise, the girls couldn't look more different. Actually, personality wise they were also polar opposites. Lily was cheerful and outgoing, but loved school and learning, and could sit outside on a sunny afternoon and read all day. Petunia was quiet, but loved to do things like braid her hair and paint her nails. Somehow, even though they were so different, Lily and Petunia got along very well.

The Evans family lived in a nice, clean, perfect looking house in Little Whinging. Mr. Evans worked for a respectable law firm and Mrs. Evans stayed at home taking care of the house and the girls. Lily and Petunia attended the Grammar school nearby. Every July, the Evans family would take a week long vacation. They traveled all over the country and world.

Lily loved to read. She loved to read magazines and the newspaper, but most of all she loved to read books. She read books of all shapes and sizes. She read kids books, and classic novels, and thick dusty volumes she found in the attic. She read fantasy novels, and horror novels, and once she read one of her mother's romance novels. After finishing that novel, Lily vowed to never again sneak one of her mother's books.

Lily's love for reading has helped her develop an extremely wild imagination. When not reading, Lily is usually daydreaming. She imagined what it would be like to fly to far away lands, and to live in castles with tall towers that seemed to reach the sky. She dreamed about dragons and magic, knights in shining armor and princesses. Lily's vivid imagination was about the only thing Petunia disliked about her sister. Petunia didn't believe in things behaving in ways they were not meant to, and certainly didn't understand why her sister would want to live in a musty, drafty old castle for anyway.

At school, Lily had several friends, but once she got home, it was just her and her books, unless Petunia was around. Petunia was the only person Lily would put her books down for.

"Petunia, do you want to play a game?" Lily asked her sister one sunny afternoon in July.

"What kind of game?" Petunia asked. She was brushing her hair. Petunia always brushed her hair. She brushed her hair more than Lily read books.

"It's really fun. We use big twigs as swords and have a sword fight. And then the winner is claimed knight of the Evans backyard." Lily said, smiling broadly, as only a young girl with a wild imagination could.

Petunia nearly dropped her hair brush. "And why would anyone want to play that?" Petunia asked.

"Because it's fun." Lily answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Do you want to know what's fun, Lily?" Petunia asked, setting her hairbrush down and looking at her little sister.

"What?" Lily asked, leaning in eagerly.

"Truth or Dare." Petunia said.

"What?" Lily repeated, this time sounding confused.

"Truth or Dare." Petunia repeated, as if this time Lily would understand. The look on Lily's face showed that she was still confused, so Petunia elaborated. "Well, it starts off with someone asking another person 'truth or dare?' and that person answers with one of them. If they say 'truth' then the first person asks them a question and they have to answer it honestly."

"What happens if they don't?" Lily interrupted.

"I don't know, it's never happened. Anyway, if they say 'dare' then the first person has to think of something really embarrassing that the second person has to do."

"What if they don't?"

"They just do, Lily, its how the game works."

"That's no fun! There should be some horrible gruesome alternative to answering the question or doing the dare."

"The horrible thing is the other, if you don't want to do the dare you have to answer the question, and if you don't want the question then you have to do the dare."

"I don't like this game, let's swordfight."

"Sword fighting is for boys."

"Says who?"

"I don't know…everyone."

"Then everyone is wrong. I played swordfight with Alexia at school and no one told us we couldn't play because we were girls."

"You are a strange girl, Lily Evans."

"Thank you Petunia Evans, you are a normal girl." Mrs. Evans walked into her daughter's bedroom at that moment and was surprised to hear their strange compliments to one another. At first she thought they were fighting, but by the smiles on their faces she could see they were quite pleased with the statement made about them by their sister.

"Lunch is ready girls." Mrs. Evans said. Lily and Petunia nodded and followed her downstairs.

Lily was heartbroken when Petunia changed schools. Mrs. Evans tried to calm her youngest daughter by saying that in a year she would too be going to high school. Lily said that it was an entire year when she wouldn't see Petunia at school, and wouldn't walk to school with her, or eat lunch with her. Petunia said she wouldn't miss her too much, and that they rarely saw each other anyway. This upset Lily even more. Of course, Petunia was actually right, and after the first two weeks, Lily got over not seeing her sister at school and was doing just fine. She had more friends that year then she ever had before, probably because she spent more time with the girls in her class rather than with Petunia.

At the end of the year, Lily too left Grammar school, and would be starting high school in the fall. She was excited for this, as Petunia had told her many stories about how great it was. Mrs. Evans took Lily to London to buy her uniform, a navy blue and red plaid pleated skirt, a while long sleeved blouse and a navy blue cardigan. Lily tried her uniform on for her father and sister when they got home, and refused to take it off until she went to bed that night. Petunia said she wouldn't love it so much after she sees everyone wearing it for weeks straight. Lily said she was sure she would love it every day.

As the summer went by, Petunia shared more and more stories about school with her little sister. Lily hung on to every word Petunia said, hoping to gain some advice on how to act, or what to watch out for.

At the end of July, Lily received a strange letter in the mail. There was no stamp or return address. Lily opened it, and her jaw dropped.

Dear Miss Evans,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress

At first, Lily thought it was a practical joke played on her by Petunia or Alexia. But then she remembered that Petunia didn't joke, and Alexia would never have thought of anything like this. None of the rest of her friends knew her address, or which bedroom was hers. How did they know which bedroom was hers then? Lily wondered.

She showed the letter to her mother, hoping that she would be able to explain. Mrs. Evans looked as if she had no idea what to say or do about the letter she just read. So, she passed it over to her husband. Mr. Evans read through the letter at least three times before opening his mouth. He let out a small squeak and then shut his mouth again. Petunia, who was confused by her family's reaction, peered over her father's arm to read the letter. She looked confused and then a little bit scared. Lily snatched her letter back from her father and read it again. Sure enough the words were the same.

"What does this mean mum?" Lily asked, hoping her mother could clear things up for her.

"I don't know, dear. I really don't know." Mrs. Evans replied.

"I'm – I'm a witch?" Lily said in a near whisper.

"Shh! You don't want the neighbors to hear you say that Lily!" Petunia shrieked.

"Petunia!" yelled Mr. and Mrs. Evans in unison.

"Well, imagine what anyone would think if they heard her say that!"

"Petunia Evans, do not speak of you sister like that!" Mrs. Evans said, turning red.

"What do you mean, Petunia?" Lily asked quietly.

"I mean that you, and this letter, are –" Mrs. Evans made a face at her daughter that said clearly said watch what you say. "— freaks."

The shouting that came from the Evans house after this remark could be heard three houses down. Lily stared crying, and screaming at her sister. Mrs. Evans was scolding her eldest daughter and trying to calm her youngest. Mr. Evans started yelling at Petunia, and then at Lily. After a good 15 minutes of this, Mrs. Evans sent the girls to bed and told them to think about what they said to each other.

Lily sat on her bed staring out the window. Petunia had called her a freak, all because of some letter that they weren't even sure was real. It must be true though, Lily thought. She thought about all the strange things that had happened to or near her, especially when she was extremely scared or nervous. Once, Alexia had been holding a glass in her hand and it shattered in her hand. At the time, the girls thought Alexia had been holding on too tight, but now it seemed that Lily may have been responsible. She had been pretty upset with Alexia for something trivial she didn't even remember anymore. And then there was the time that her mother was trying to force her into a hideous sweater knitted by Lily's grandmother, and it seemed to get smaller with every tug until it would barely fit on a doll. Mrs. Evans had been pretty upset by this, but couldn't explain what happened. They told Grandmother Lucille that the sweater snagged the first time Lily wore it, and got a big rip in it. Grandmother Lucille promised to make another one, which Lily has yet to receive.

Lily fell asleep thinking about all the things that she could now attribute to magic. When she woke up the next morning, she wasn't sure if it had been real or a dream. Upon her arrival in the kitchen for breakfast, Lily realized it had all been real. Petunia cleared her throat and left the room when Lily walked in, but Mr. and Mrs. Evans smiled sweetly. Lily ate her breakfast silently, and then went in search of Petunia. She found her sitting in her bedroom staring at the wall.

"Petunia?" Lily asked quietly.

"Go away, freak!" Petunia shouted.

"No! And stop calling me that!" Lily shouted back.

"But you are a freak, Lily! And now you are going to go to that stupid freak school and make all you freak friends!"

"So you're jealous?"

"Am not!"

"Sure sounds like it!"

"Why would I be jealous of your – your abnormality?"

"It's not an abnormality! Why can't you just be happy for me? I'm a witch, and I can do magic! I'm going to Hogwarts, and you are just going to have to accept that!"

"I will never accept a freak like you!"

Lily turned away from her sister and ran out of the room. She had tears running down her cheek as she rand straight into her mother on the stairs. Mrs. Evans wrapped her arms around her crying daughter and led her downstairs. Mr. Evans went upstairs to deal with Petunia.

Lily cried in her mother's arms for nearly 30 minutes before the tears stopped coming. Mrs. Evans wiped the tears from Lily's face, and then spoke to her.

"Lily, no matter what your sister says, you are not a freak, and we are proud of you. Petunia is just upset about all of this happening so suddenly. She'll come around."

"Will she?" Lily asked.

"Of course she will. She is your sister and she loves you."

"I don't think she does anymore, Mum."

"Don't say things like that, Lily."

The next afternoon, Lily and Mrs. Evans went to London to return her uniform and buy her supplies for Hogwarts. Along with the acceptance letter came a letter explaining everything to Mr. and Mrs. Evans, including how to get all of Lily's school books and supplies.

It took Lily and Mrs. Evans quite some time to find The Leaky Cauldron where they had to ask the barkeep to help them into Diagon Alley. The barkeep, a man named Tom, brought them outside and tapped a brick on the wall with what Lily guessed was a wand. He pointed them in the direction of the bank, Gringotts, where they could exchange their pounds for Wizard money.

Lily was in awe of Diagon Alley. She wished she had an extra set of eyes so she could look at both sides of the street. Even the bank was fascinating. The creatures that managed the bank were peculiar looking, and although they gave Mrs. Evans goose bumps, they fascinated Lily.

After exchanging a good deal of pounds for Wizarding money, they set off for the many shops to buy the supplies on the list that was sent with the two letters. The bookstore, Flourish & Blotts, was busy, but Lily managed to find everything she needed and some extras including Hogwarts, A History, and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century. Lily's new school uniform consisted of plain black work robes and a black pointed hat. Lily felt like she was dressing up for Halloween as she tried on her uniform at Madame Malkin's Robes for all Occasions. Mr. Ollivander, of Ollivander's Makers of Fine Wands, helped Lily find her perfect wand, which was willow, 10 1/4", swishy and nice for charm work.

When they returned home, Lily showered her father all of her purchases, much to the dislike of Petunia.

Lily had read all of her school books, as well as the extras she bought by September 1st. She wanted to know as much as she could by the first day of classes. Petunia refused to stay in any room that contained Lily for long periods of time, preferring to close herself in her room, or go to a neighbor's house. Lily was hurt by her sister's actions, and wished for her friend back. She could never tell Alexia about being a witch and wanted very much to talk to a friend about all the interesting things she was learning. Lily hoped she would make friends at school, and that she would fit in. She was terrified of leaving home and her friends to start something completely new to her. But at the same time, it was an amazing adventure, just like the ones she had always dreamed of.

A/N: I'd just like to remind you all of my request from the first chapter for a sorting hat song. I will seriously love you forever if you write me one! Also, please please please review, even if it's to say this sucks! I hate to admit it, but I'm needy, and I need feedback!

respose to reviews:

jojo-I'm glad you like it. I hope my once a week updates are soon enough for ya, because I'm really busy with the start of school right now and kind of in a slump so I've only got through Halloween of first year written! Hope you enjoy and feel free to offer any suggestions because I definatly could use the help!

quizgirl-don't worry, I just used that for a starting point, and I may stick some canon in but it will be very minimal, I promise. Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like Adrianne. I had origionally started this story as being entirely from her perspective but I didn't really like that because I wasn't sure how well readers would connect with someone intirely (and i spelled that wrong, don't mind my un-spellchecked reviews!)un-canon, so that's why we see Sirius in chapter 3 and Lily in 4, and buy the end of chapter 8 you will have 8 characters, 5 of them you know and 3 of them I made up. Oh and since I've created and planned out all of Adrianne's history, please let me know if I assume you guys know something that I haven't told you yet. Enjoy and thats for the reviews!

DISCLAIMER: I do no own any of this nor am I making any profit, this is just my way of passing boring summer nights, and I'm sure eventually it will become another way for me to procrastinate once school starts up again. All names, places, ect. From the Harry Potter world belong to JK Rowling and the publishers ect. and the song quotes belong to their respective artists and the correct rights owners.